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natm-tem3

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Maneuvering in a Virtual Environment Using Sound
Can a player maneuver through a video game using only sound?
external image pacman-g-game-maker-8-logo.png

Can a player use only sound to maneuver in a video game and still perform at a level comparable to maneuvering with video and sound?

Independent Variable:

Audio/Video Component

Dependent Variable:

Time Until Completion (sec)

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:

External Noise/Distractions, game layout, Equipment, Sound Quality


external image cub_energy2_lesson05_activity1_clip1.gif


Hypothesis

I hypothesize players will perform worse when using sound to maneuver, but the results will be close.
Graph of Hypothesis





















Experimental Design

My experiment will be conducted in a quiet room or area, probably at school. I need twenty-five people (other than me) to be test subjects. They will play the game. Each player will conduct two trials, one with sound and one with sound and video. The data I collect will go directly onto a printed spreadsheet. The data will be transferred, later, to the computer. Once I have gained enough base knowledge and have a clear idea of how the game will be set up, I will begin to log my progress and the steps I took in designing the game. I will also make a walk through-style video of the game being played (record the sound and visual as the game is played.) Pictures of players and screen shots may also be taken.

Materials List

  1. MacBook
  2. Completed Game
  3. Player
  4. Stopwatch
  5. Spreadsheet
  6. Headphones

Detailed Procedure

  1. Set up the game.
  2. Turn off the screen
  3. Have the player put on headphones.
  4. Start the stopwatch as they start playing.
  5. Let the stopwatch run until the player completes the game.
  6. Stop the stopwatch.
  7. Record the time on the stopwatch on the data table.
  8. Repeat steps 4-7 with the screen turned on.
  9. Repeat steps 1-8 with 24 more people.

Background Research

Three levels of basic audio-speech sound, music
some say 4, vocalization, sound FX, ambient FX, Music
 Full instructions on gamemaker (300+ pages)
how use code in combination with gamemaker
 Music used to increase emotions like tension
sound that dims over distance unusual while sound just cutting out is common with some dimming common
 Audio must have eight layers to seem proffesional, spanning from a constant, low buzz to the character’s breathing, as many variables as possible must be taken into effect


References


Hubierts, S.. Captivating Sound. 2010. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. <http://captivatingsound.com/phd-thesis-captivating-sound-the-role-of-audio-for-immersion-in-games/>.
 Overmars, Mark, and Jacob Habgood, eds. The Game Maker's Apprentice. Technology In Action, Print.
 Trammell, Aaron. "The Role of Sound in Video Games: Pong, Limbo and Interactivity." Blog. Sounding Out!. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. <http://soundstudiesblog.com/2010/09/08/the-role-of-sound-in-video-games-pong-limbo-and-interactivity/>.
 Kastbauer, Damian. "Noise is Good for You!." Web. 1 Feb. 2012. <http://www.waste.org/lostchocolatelab/IGDA/LCLPresentationSummary.pdf>.



http://gamemakerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/pacman-g-game-maker-8-logo.png
http://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_images/cub_energy2_lesson05_activity1_clip1.gif

Results

Data Table


Graphs


NATM_TEM3_RESGRAPH.JPG

Photos

NATM_TEM3_PIC1.JPGNATM_TEM3_PIC2.JPGNATM_TEM3_PIC3.JPG

Data Analysis


Conclusion


This experiment was designed to test people’s ability of maneuvering through virtual environments using only sound. By testing the speed at which players completed an audio-only game and then test the same game with video and sound, an average speed for both sets of data could be found. The result showed a significant but not extraordinary difference in favor of people playing the game with video and sound. The difference was just over seventeen seconds. I tested twelve people playing the game with sound and also with sound and video.

Discussion


My hypothesis was that players would perform worse when using sound to maneuver, but the results wouldl be close. My results support my hypothesis. The data showed the audio and video version of the game to be faster and easier. I also found that the speed of someone’s audio game when compared to other people, was nearly the same as the difference between audio and video and just audio.

The tests went smoothly, with minor problems if any. The game I programmed did odd things occasionally. This manifested mainly in a phenomena where the audio cues that helped the player navigate stopped working and played on a two second loop until player moved closer or further from the target space. I am uncertain why this happened, but changing it would fix the problem and be much better. I am also sure that the test results might have changed if, when the player had visual input they were unable to see when they were going off the map (this causes the player to move back to the start of a level and slowed down many audio-only players.)

At some point, I would like to do another study using a better programmed game that tests players ability to maneuver in a virtual reality without sound and if that ability has a correlation to measurable visual spacial skill levels. I would need to purchase or access a visual-spacial battery test with which I could test people. This study could open up interesting ideas, like whether people with visual impairments become visual-spacial in the absence of sight. If so can being visual-spacial be a learned skill?